Would you rather have a summer or autumn baby?

[Babydust00]

We will hopefully be trying end of this year. I understand entirely that it’s not possible for the majority of people to plan when they have their babies, if only life worked in that way

In a world where you could plan- would you try in October/November for a summer baby, or December/January for autumn? Thinking of all factors involved, academic, childcare fees, how it must be to give birth in the hottest temperatures, birthday parties growing up…

I have an early December baby, it meant by the time he was a bit older and not constantly cluster feeding or was spring and we got out a lot, if he'd been born in summer I would've spent my days sat on the sofa sweating with bleeding nipples, I got to do it cosied up in front of Christmas films which was quite nice (!?).
However it means birthdays are always going to cost more, my DN has a late summer birthday and my brother just has a casual BBQ each year, now she's older she invites friends as well as family. The DC really enjoy it and it doesn't cost much. We leave best the beach and have friends who do a beach picnic with games etc again great fun limited cost.
We have to either limit numbers and do it at home, have separate children/friends and family parties or hire a hall etc. It's also fairly close to Christmas so everything is busy and expensive

Mine are February, April and May. Love all the times for different reasons. Pot luck we avoided times we didn't want.

I was a May baby and I liked it, only ever half the year maximum until Christmas/birthday!

I'd prefer early summer, so weather is probably ok for birthday parties outdoors but not having to be pregnant over hottest part of summer. Academic year cut off is end of December here so early summer will be in the older half of the year so fine for school too.
Instead I got two February babies, good for school as they will both be either the oldest or one of the oldest in their year but not so great for birthday parties.

I have one summer and two autumn, now they're adults there's no difference. My summer baby was desperate to go to school but had to wait another year than if she'd been born a month later

My children are July, September and December and I do have to say the Summer baby seems to have the happiest time because in secondary school exams were over and although he was still at school, it was the last month so it was more relaxed etc. But I love the September one too because it means she's the oldest which she loves and also it's not horribly cold in September or Autumn so she loves it. So both Summer and Autumn great here and then with the Winter one even tho that's not in your question, I personally wouldn't like having hers because it's very near Xmas and miserably cold but she loves it soo much so positives all round here!!!

Autumn 100%. I planned for DS to be an autumn baby and we are very lucky that it worked out and he born 2nd October. Those cosy newborn days snuggling on the sofa while it was miserable outside were dreamy. I wanted him to be one of the oldest in his school year. When we ttc again I'm hoping to have another autumn baby but obviously unsure if we will be as lucky to conceive so easily again. I would hate to have a summer baby.

I have a May toddler and a baby due in to October. I haven't really considered an ideal time to be born.

I love summer, and all my DC were born in summer (June-August). I hate autumn, so I'm glad they weren't born in autumn. Being born in summer is fabulous. I'm also summer-born.

Autumn over Summer for me. Starting school as one of the youngest can have a big negative impact imo. My kids are all have Autumn/Winter birthdays.

Spring baby. I have an autumn baby too and I swear the dark nights were never ending. I used to pray for light 😂

I had one in June and one in September.

June was better, gave birth before the heat of the summer, usually have good weather around their birthday which works well for days out / parties. DC never had issues with being summer born and I found the sleepless nights easier to cope with when the nights were shorter. Being up at 4 am in the summer was easier than in the darker months and being very pregnant in the summer heat was horrible!

April. Far enough away from Xmas, weather is nice to be out walking with the pram, and pretty much in the middle of the age group for starting school.

Mine are august and sept babies. My advice is go for spring 😆 it’s not fun being massively pregnant in the summer! I imagine spring would be lovely with the longer days stretching out in front of you instead of the cold winter just round the corner.

but if the choice is only summer and autumn I wouldn’t worry. Both my kids have coped fine in school being oldest and youngest. Summer baby loves summer hol bday. Sept baby loves being oldest in class. Summer baby will prob not like the year they have to wait ages to turn 18. None of sept babies friends will be able to go out clubbing to celebrate when she turns 18. Pros and cons.

Autumn all the way. So obviously we have a mid-July one 🙄

Silver linings are:
outdoor swimming pool parties can be a thing - our local one used to close the week before my early September birthday, plus no bugger really cared when you were going back to school the same week and parties were difficult to plan

we pay for a year less nursery fees than if she’d been born 6 weeks later so that’s £20k saved

when all of her school/uni friends are turning 40, she’ll still have another few months of youth in her

Not sure that completely makes up for the disadvantage in early school years but I can’t pop her back in and rebirth at a more suitable date now

You spend 1st 6 months in a daze barely able to notice the outside world. Autumn babies all the way, enjoy the sun when your brain starts to work again.

I had a March baby and had a lovely cool pregnancy. I’m currently 7 months pregnant with our second and I am struggling. X

I have two spring and one summer and they have been fine….dh is first of September and he was fine too but did find primary hard work with friendships as at that age 9 months is a big day difference

it didn’t occur to us to try and plan!

Autumn always. Oldest on year. Always the best. Never august born, youngest in year still makes a big difference in year 9, aged 14.

We have a summer born. School age wasn't an issue as we're in Scotland with different cut off points for starting school. When very little it was great that birthday and Christmas 6 months apart for gifts. Birthday parties were a bit of a pain in primary school but we used to have them early. Now loves never having to go school on birthday and we're often on holiday now, which has been fun. Great for birthday bbqs and picnics.

It made no difference to me, and made no difference to my children either. There are plenty of children who struggle (academically and/or socially) despite being the oldest in their school year.

My one DC is November baby...it is what it is. It was good as she was 6 months old for the first summer and now 18months for her second.

The downside was that she was such a tiny baby and it snowed when she was a week old...keeping her warm those first few weeks was difficult.

The other downside is its close to Christmas, my birthday is 6months away - so that's a good perk for me.

I've got July and August babies, and it's fine. I would have preferred September so they would have been the oldest in the year rather than the youngest, and I'd have had an extra year before they started school full time.

Big advantage for your baby to be oldest in class than youngest.

Summer. My DC are Aug and Sep which is lovely. We are in Scotland so the English summer born thing isn't an issue.